Funeral (TCG)
Funeral was the last act of a samurai. Their deeds were read before a group of dignitaries and loved ones gathered around an ornate pyre. The body was cremated and the solidified, burnt bones picked out of the ashes with specialized chopsticks, for the dead must never be touched. Legend of the Five Rings - Roleplaying, p. 12 Those who attended funerals dressed in white. Curved Blades, by Ree Soesbee Monks and Shugenja of Emman-Ō Fortunist traditions regarded death as chief among spiritual stains, while in Shinseist tradition the contemplation of death was encouraged. Therefore, funerals were overseen by monks, and they qwre held in temples. Every Great Clan boasted a sect of Fortunist priests of Emma-Ō, who traveled constantly, carrying their sacred artifacts with them, to ensure the souls of the departed could find their way to Emma-Ō's judgment and their proper destination. As temple monks conducted a funeral ceremony, a shugenja of Emma-Ō, dressed as the Fortune to remind all of his presence, quietly witnesses the ceremony. After the rites had been completed, and all guests had left, the shugenja conducted a ceremonial trial, arguing on behalf of the deceased to request only a brief time in Meido for the departed, or even for an immediate delivery into Yomi. Emerald Empire: The Essential Guide to Rokugan, p. 150 Lion Clan After a battle, dead samurai were gathered by hinin and cremated, and then their ashes and belongings were returned to their families. Once a family received their loved one's ashes, a typical funeral was held at a temple. In the Lion Clan's tradition, funeral rites were held on the battlefield, by priests of Emma-Ō, a closely guarded secret of the Kitsu-descended Emma-Ō shugenja. In the absence of family, the deceased's ancestors were summoned instead, and it was they who judged the departed soul first. If the ancestors judged the departed worthy, they accompanied the spirit to Emma-Ō. Rites Preparation The funeral was held four days after the death. During this time, the body was prepared by members of the hinin caste under the direction of monks, safely outside the bounds of their temple. The body was washed, anointed, and rubbed with salt. Then, a featureless mask was placed on the face, so that any lingering spirit would not recognize its former body or attempt to reclaim it. On the day of the funeral, the temple provided the family with a wooden marker displaying the departed's name and a list of their deeds. The family attended dressed in white clothes of mourning. A modest meal of special funeral foods, known as otoki, was offered to the family. Emerald Empire: The Essential Guide to Rokugan, pp. 173-174 Buried At the dawn of the Empire, the dead were buried. In the sixth century, the reviled sorcerer Iuchiban raised an army of the undead to march on Otosan Uchi, being defeated by the Imperial Legions and the armies of the clans. After his execution, Iuchiban was buried in a tomb specially warded to prevent his spirit from escaping. This gave him the distinction of being the last person in the Empire to be buried; after this the Emperor issued a decree that all corpses must be burned to prevent them from being desecrated by foul magic. Emerald Empire: The Essential Guide to Rokugan, p. 16 Cremation Rokugani funerary rites involved cremation. The dead did not sleep soundly, and stories told of the days when powerful cults of mahō-tsukai wandered the land backed by vast armies of the hungering dead, the zombies. Dead bodies were considered unclean, and they were disposed of with great haste after an individual's passing. Legend of the Five Rings: Roleplaying Game (Beta), p. 204 It was widely believed that if too much open sorrow was displayed during this part of the ceremony, the spirit would feel troubled and remained behind. Therefore, those at funerals hid their sorrow behind veils and stony faces. Afterward, the family picked the bones from the ashes using ceremonial chopsticks, passing them from one family member to the next until they are placed to rest in an urn. Monks then lighted a string of candles to symbolize the rebirth of the departed through their many prior lives. Emerald Empire: The Essential Guide to Rokugan, p. 174 External Links * Funeral Pyre (Core Set) Category:Culture (TCG)